Embrace and Encourage Diverse Perspectives

This year, while preparing for my review, I was asked to pick a culture commitment that I want to be intentional about improving in 2020. As I read through the list, this one popped out. There was something about the embrace and encourage side of it that I really wrestled with. I definitely listen to other's opinions. I take note of them. I respect them. However, if I am being honest with myself, they are not always embraced.

Two of my 2020 goals are to listen to more podcasts and read more personal and professional development books. If you know me, I prefer to spend my car rides belting out the greatest hits of Broadway or Kacey Musgraves. I prefer to read Jodi Picoult and all seven Harry Potter books. But in order to grow as a leader, a wife, a friend, and a person, I was going to need to form personal development habits and sew them into my daily life.

Step one: read a book. The first one on my list was "Never Split the Difference" by Chris Voss. Chris used to be the lead FBI hostage negotiator. So many good nuggets are in the pages of this book but one he talks a lot about is tactical empathy. It is putting yourself in the shoes of your counterpart without needing to agree with him. When you can try to understand and acknowledge where someone is coming from, it makes the conversation easier. This morning, Chris joined one of the podcasts I have been following called The School of Greatness. The topic of discussion: Empathy. He goes on to tell the story of how when you are working with a person that is operating from a place of fear and being rude, the worst thing you can do is get upset. He has found repeatedly that if he can put himself in the shoes of that person, he will always get a better outcome. He has also found that he can learn more in doing so.

I made a check to apply this to my everyday life. Sometimes we are so wrapped up in our opinions and our perspectives that we fail to see what we can learn from the other person. When you broadcast your perspective onto whom you are talking to, you will always see things your way. There will be a winner. There will be a loser. However, if you put yourself in the shoes of someone else and walk confidently into the conversation that way, you will gain insight and a resolution without burning a bridge.

I would highly encourage you to do a few things this year.

1)     Challenge yourself to embrace and encourage diverse perspectives.

2)     Check yourself when you find yourself projecting your thoughts on others.

3)     Buy Never Split the Difference. We are negotiating a lot more in life than you think. Why not learn from the expert himself?